Paper clip



Oct. 19 192s. 1,603,504

L. E. BALTZLEY PAPER CLIP Filed August 9 1921 v INVENTOR hrrbmvsr Get.19, 1926,

UNITED STATE LOUIS E. BAL'IZLEY, OF GLEN RIDGE, NEW JERSEY.

EAPER CLIP.

Application filed August 9, 1921. Serial No. 490,862.

The general objects of my present invention are to provide a clip ortemporary binder for holding loose papers and the like which will besimple and inexpensive in its construction and which will combine theadvantages of secure holding force and ease of operation.

Further special objects are to provide a clip of this character whichcan be inexpensively produced by simple operations from a one piecesheet metal blank.

In the drawing accompanying and forming Jart of this'specification Ihave-disclosed different embodiments of the invention, and a novelmethod of manufacturing the same, but as these disclosures are primarilyillustrative in character, it will be understood that the structure andprocess of manufacture may be varied without departure from the truespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed. Inthis connection also I would have it understood that the terms which Ihave employed herein are used in a descriptive rather than in a limitingsense, except for such limitations as may be required by the prior art.

Figure l in the drawing referred to is an edge view of the clip in itsopen, paperreceiving condition, with the closed position indicated indotted lines.

Figure 2 is a plan view and Figure 3 is a roar view of the clip as inits normal closed position.

Figures'lto 8 are diagrammatic views illustratingsuccessive stepsin themanufac ture of the clip. I Figures 9' and 10 are edge and plan viewsrespectively of a slightly modified formof the device.

The reference characters 15, 16-designatethe companion gripping jaws ofthe ;clip

which are connected together at their opposite ends by integral springshmges and are operated by integral handle levers 17, 18, projectingrearwardly at points intermediate the spring hinges at the ends.

The spring hinges at the opposite ends of the jaws are separated, asindicated at 19, 20, in Figure 3, and therefore more or less independentin their operation.

As best shown in the edge views, these hinges each consist of arelatively fiat intermediate connecting strap 21 provided at itsopposite ends with rearwardly directed loops or reversely curvedportions 22 connected with the jaws by forwardly turned reversely curvedportions 23.

These reversely curved portions operate as double spring connectionsbetween the awsand the connecting or spacing straps 21 providingsutlicient flexibility to enable the use of relatively heavy gage sheetmetal, which is desirable because of its greater strength anddurability.

The connecting straps 21 of the spring hinges when relatively fiat andstraight, as shown in Figure 1, may be utilized as edge gages for thepapers insertedin the clip. As shown in Figure 9, however, theintermediate connecting portion 21 of the spring hinge need not bestraight, but may be curved, in continuation of the reverse curves atthe opposite ends thereof.

An especially important feature of the invention is that the separationof the end hinges provides the necessary material for the aw operatinghandles between the same. This will be best understood by reference toFigures 4 to 8 wherein I have illustrated one practical method ofmanufacturing the device.

In the first of these views, there is shown the sheet metal blank 24:from which the clip is made, said blank being of oblong constructionproviding the material for the clamp jaws at the opposite ends thereofand the material for the handle levers and spring hinges between theseend portions. The first operation on the blank is to make thesubstantially H-shaped cut, indicated at 25. The removal'of thisH-shaped section of metal from the intermediate portion of the blankdefines theaw handles at the central plane and the spring hinge portionsat the opposite longitudinal edges of the blank. The handle levers-arethus initially formed as straight continuations of the clamping jaws andthey retain this initial relation to the jaws throughout the remainderof the formation and use of the article.

To stilfen the handles and particularly at their juncture with the jaws,I preferably provide them with stilfening ribs 26 extending from theouter free ends of the handles, inward Well into the body of the jaws.In the first form of the invention I have shown two such stiffening ribsto each handle extending convergently along the edges of the handles,which are shown as tapered toward their outer and free ends and havefurther shown these stiffening ribs as connected at IOU the free ends ofthe handles by short transverse corrugations or ribs 27 providingsomewhat rounded gripping surfaces tor engagement by the fingers of theoperator.

The second step in the process disclosed consists in forming thesestiliening ribs in the jaw and handle portions of the blanlr. asindicated in Figure 5. The next step disclosed consists in bending thejaw ends of the blank downward along the lines 28 (Figure to carry theopposed jaws and handles into the substantially parallel relation shownin Figure 6. In the next operation, the intermediate portions ofthe endstraps connecting the jaws are struck downward, as shown in Figure 7, tostart the formation of the double reverse curves for the spring hinges,after which it is only necessary to force-the opposite sides together soas in effect to -fully break in the reverse curves of the hinges, carebeing taken during this latter operation to give a set to the hingeswhich will force the jaws normally together into the convergent relationshown in Figure 8.

This method of construction is quite simple and the steps follow eachother in logi cal sequence and an especially important advantage is thatthere is never any break or weakening of material between the jaws andtheir operating handles, these parts being maintained in their initialstraight and continuous relation.

The same method of procedure may be employed in the manufacture of thesecond form of clip. In addition to the variation in the shape of thespring hinges it will be noted that in this second term of clip there isonly a single reinforcing rib extending from each handle into the bodyof its jaw. This means that a somewhat simpler term of ribbing die canbe used in the manufacture of this clip.

The inner portions 21 of the spring hinges constitute in effect thetulcrums for the hinging movement of the jaws and by displacing thesefulcrums inwardly or toward the jaw tips, the leverage of the handles isincreased so that the clips can be easily epened despite their powerfulgripping eftectf This inward displacement of the tulcrum portions alsois of advantage n that foreasy operation of the clip.

What I claim is: 1. A chp of the character described comprisingcooperating clamping aws connected at their opposite ends bylongitudinally separated integral spring hinges and having integrallever handles projecting rearwardly therefrom at pointsintermediate theend hinges, said handles standing in the same, planes with and.iorinirng straight continuations of the jaws and the material of thehinges being bent to shorten the same and thereby iincrieasethe leverageof the handles.

A one piece sheet metal clip comprising a plate o t spring metal bent toprovide op posed clamping jaws connected by spring hinges at theopposite ends of the jaws, the material of the plate between said endhinges being extended rearwardly of the jaws and forming operatinghandles therefor and the material of the hinges being displaced from therear of the clip inwardly between the jaws whereby to shorten the sameand increase the leverage of the jaws.

3. A one piece sheet metal clip comprising a single plate of springmetal having opposed jaw portions connected at their op posite edges byintegral hinge strips and the metal between such hinge strips consistingof integral handles projecting rearwardly from the jaws a considerabledistance past the spring hinge strips and said spring hinge strips beingeach buckled in the intermediate portion of the same to shorten saidspring hinge strips to bring the jaws closer together and provide hingefulcrums at the'juncture oi 'said strips with the jaws, the intermediatebuckled portions of the separate hinge strips standing crosswise of thespace between the jaws to act as a back stop for papers inserted betweenthe jaws.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this day of July, 1921.

LOUIS E. BALTZLEY.

